1. Field of the Invention
This invention is concerned with an apparatus and method to assist people to effectively quit smoking. By using this method of the ring, it is a "step by step" method. The ring will be made of aluminum or available heat resistant material, i.e.; kevlar. The ring has two (2) lines, the distance between them is 1/2 or 1 millimeter. This space will be airless for reducing the heat from the cigarette to the surface sheath. This invention provides a means for gradually cutting down the amount of cigarette(s) available for the smoker to use at any one time, as well as weaning the smoker off of the addicting nicotine without inducing the usually encountered withdrawal symptoms such as restlessness, amnesia, lethargy, impaired concentration and judgement, diminished pulse rate, coughing, constipation, tiredness, nervousness, disorientation, irritability, anxiety, sleeplessness, and the craving to smoke as well. It is undisputed that nicotine is addictive, some studies indicate that 85% of those who smoke even one cigarette, are hooked on the habit of smoking. It is also beyond dispute that smoking is damaging to the health as well as being fatal in the long term for most smokers.
The gases and particles in smokers which enter the mouth at up to around 880 centigrade, comprise a concentrated aerosol with billions of tiny particles all less than 2 microns in diameter, with tar as well as nicotine. These gases include formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, methanol, acetone, ketone, methyllethyl, ammonia, nitrogendioxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide. These are irritants to lung tissue, a cigarette consists of more than 4,000 chemical substances of which 43 of those are known to cause or promote cancer. Those who smoke have their lives cut shorter significantly by coronary heart disease and lung cancer, as compared to those who don't smoke. Damage to the body depends on the number of cigarettes smoked, number of inhalations in volume, duration and depth of inhalation puff interval, mechanical correlates of smoking such as butt weight and length of the cigarette. The most harmful substances are tar and nicotine, which are highly toxic. It increases the number of cancers of the larynx, pancreas, bladder, kidney, and cervix and also causes coronary heart disease. It increases still birth, neonatal death, prematurity, low birth weight, and fetal death.
Hospital admissions for bronchitis and pneumonia are twice as high for children whose parents smoke. They also have an increased risk of cancer later in life. Cigarette smoking and breast feeding are not compatible. Cigarette smoking may reduce milk production, decrease vitamin "C" content of the milk, and increase colicky pain and diarrhea in the baby.
Smoking is responsible for one death in four in the United States--about 400,000 lives per year, mostly from lung cancer and coronary heart disease. The cost in lives, money and suffering are enormous. Yet logically, smoking is the most preventable cause of death in our society, one must only stop smoking.
If a smoker stops smoking after 10 to 15 years, the risk of lung cancer approaches that of those who never smoked, but the risk of coronary heart disease decreases after one year.
2. Prior Art
Since the 16th century, humans knew that smoking has had ill effects. But not until 1859, was the first scientific proof presented. In 1936, people became more aware of the health hazards of smoking, the use of filters expanded in attempts to remove some of the tar and other pollutants. Studies showed, however that filtered cigarettes could actually be more harmful to a smoker's health than non filters.
The research showed that filter tipped cigarettes have a higher rate of heart stroke than nonfiltered cigarettes. Most significantly various filters and holders don't solve the problem of the smoking and the addiction to nicotine. Studies show that in 1991, children, especially girls are starting to smoke at an early age, more than 3,000 teenagers become regular smokers each day in the United States. The present invention as will be seen, weans the addicted smoker from smoking by mechanically and progressively eliminating the useful amount of each smoking unit, i.e. cigarettes or cigars available for use by the addicted victim. There are no known similar approaches to eliminating the use of smoking tobacco. There are many methods for quitting cigarettes, such as psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, hypnotism, acupuncture, cigarette holders, oral local anesthetics, nicotine gum. All have been used, all with varying degrees of success. The most popular kind is nicorette gum (nicotine gum). It also has it's problems, such as it can only be obtained with a physician's prescription. Each box of Nicorette has 96 chewing pieces, smokers have to take between 10-30 pieces a day for one to three months.
During the course of treatment, smokers have to visit their doctor several times. It is very expensive system to quit this way, also it's not convenient. The nicotine gum also has an unpleasant taste. This therapy shouldn't be used in patients who have active ulcers, temporomindibuler joint disease, cardiac arrhythmias, angina, or by pregnant or lactating women. The most common problem, is the continuation of smoking while using this type of treatment. Each tablet has 2 mg. of nicotine, which 90% of nicotine releases in 2 minutes after using. The nicotine goes to the brain within seven seconds and the gum doesn't reduce the desire for nicotine. Nicotine at first stimulates the brain, then it paralyzes the skeletal muscles as well as the central nervous system. The nicotine may cause: insomnia, excess salivation, dizziness, headache, irritability, eructation, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, and hiccups.
A popular product is called "Habitrol" transdermal patch. The Habitrol patch is the same as Nicorette, but contains more nicotine and supplies the nicotine to the blood stream continuously. This product requires a doctor's prescription to obtain. The side effect of Habitrol is the same as Nicorette, plus local application site reactions, more than 35% erythema, pruritus, and burning. It is a very expensive and lengthy method.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,455,101, a mechanical clock operated cigarette container which permits the removal of a cigarette at predetermined time intervals is disclosed as a means of eliminating smoking. A problem that exists in this type of invention is that a smoker doesn't have time regulation. For example, a smoker might not smoke for hours or sometimes it's possible that they could smoke more cigarettes per hour than what is permitted. Many variables can determine or affect a smoker's desire to smoke, such as: personal mood, place, the time of day, food or drink, and also the addiction to nicotine which a smoker usually can't or has difficulty resisting. These variables all make time interval control difficult.